


11:11 o' clock

by midnight_kisses



Category: X1 (Korea Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Boarding School, Dongpyo-centric, Gen, High School, Memories, Mystery, Sad, Short Story, Supernatural - Freeform, Supernatural Elements
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-04
Updated: 2020-05-08
Packaged: 2021-03-02 05:06:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,923
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23999461
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/midnight_kisses/pseuds/midnight_kisses
Summary: “Do you believe in ghosts?”By nature, Dongpyo never really believed in the supernatural…Until it happened…Just right after the switch from winter to summer uniforms—in one of those days seemingly spent in a haze.Eleven minutes past the eleventh hour of drowsiness…11:11The door opens.
Relationships: Cho Seungyeon | Seungyoun/Kim Wooseok | Wooshin, Everyone basically - Relationship, Han Seungwoo/Son Dongpyo, Kang Minhee/Song Hyeongjun, Lee Hangyul/Nam Dohyon
Comments: 2
Kudos: 44





	1. the eleventh hour

“Do you believe in ghosts?”

Dongpyo paused— surprised at the random question his friend, Siyoung, asked as they were walking down the cobblestone walkway onto their respective afternoon classes.

Junhyuk, their other friend who was walking slightly ahead, looked over them curiously.

“What’s with that weird question?” The tallest asked.

Siyoung rubbed at his nose sheepishly.

“Heard of the rumors, of course! Our school is apparently haunted!”

  
Junhyuk chuckled.

“For the record, **_all_ ** schools seem to have their own ghost rumors too…but go on.”

  
“You don’t believe in ghosts, hyung?”

Dongpyo finally spoke, easing into the discussion.

  
Junhyuk shrugged, looking thoughtful.

“I have been studying in this school since junior high... yet I have not experienced any paranormal events myself.”  
  


  
“How about you Dongpyo?” Siyoung then turned to ask him.

  
“Me?”

  
“Aren’t _you_ living in the dorms?” Siyoung pointed out. “I heard that the building where the dormitories are is the oldest and is the most haunted!”

Unlike his two companions who commute to and from school, Dongpyo is staying at the school dormitories—in which he had just moved in this semester.

  
“There’s nothing out of the ordinary though…” Dongpyo said.

  
Siyoung had looked a bit disappointed at the lack of an interesting story.

They soon dropped the subject as they arrived at the building of their next classes.  
  
  


For some reason though, the thought about the ghostly rumors lingered in Dongpyo’s mind

  
***

Dongpyo clearly recalled the day he had first arrived at the dormitory of Pro Deus Xima Academy—an exclusive, all-boys boarding school.

The old dormitory building was located at the very back, innermost part of the campus. It was hidden behind the Elementary buildings and closely connected to the High School one.

  
The dorm building itself is large; with the understated grandeur reminiscent of the gothic-style architecture of old times. Fortunately, its imposing appearance is neutralized by the beautifully blooming wisteria plant crawling all over its wide gray-stoned façade.

Nothing was out of place,

Until the seniors at the dorm had given Dongpyo several odd warnings when they crowded around to welcome him;

 _  
__“The old building is quite… ‘playful’.”_

_  
_It was a peculiar word to use.

_  
__“It likes to play practical jokes on us students—tries to trick us.”_

  
It had sounded absurd, but Dongpyo nodded anyway.  
  


  
  


_“So be careful wandering around—you might get lost.”_

Dongpyo was inclined to believe that they are more likely just messing with him—since he is a naïve freshman who had just moved in, after all.

But somewhere in the back of his mind, for no reason at all, there was a tiny room of doubt.

It is said that the school buildings and the dormitories— _especially the dormitories_ —are all extremely old.

It’s old as the school itself— which was founded over a _century_ ago.

  
Over the course of several decades, they had preserved the old buildings well and had only made countless renovations and additions…

  
Long winding staircases, stone walkways, connecting hallways and a few brand new buildings are added here and there like great patchwork…

  
Piece by piece… until some areas there are almost like mazes—

  
Like an intricate labyrinth.  
  


_So it wouldn’t be so surprising right?_

_…If there are hidden pockets of spaces around here somewhere…_

_In dimly-lit places we’ve never seen before… opening every once in a while…_

Dongpyo wondered… if in the four years ahead of him…

_Would something interesting—such as a paranormal encounter—happen to him?_ _  
  
_

It was a silly thought.

By nature, he never really believed in the supernatural before…

_But now…_

  
  


***

It happened just right after the switch from winter to summer uniforms, when Dongpyo was finally beginning to get used to the dormitory life…

  
The time when his homesickness had hit him the strongest…

  
Dongpyo found himself feeling a deep-seated loneliness he couldn’t quite shake.

  
_He is not the only one who hugs their knees this way when they are depressed, right?_

  
This dormitory has hundreds of other students in it, sleeping under the same roof… Yet, it is at this time at night…

  
that Dongpyo felt most alone.  
  


_“You’ll be used to it before you know it.”_ The kind dorm president had assured, patting him on the head.

  
They said it will get better soon…

  
He easily flashed them his signature fruity smile—which earned several fond _‘ah! kyowo~’_ and cheek pinches in the process.

  
Dongpyo wondered if his loneliness was _different_ than that of everyone else’s.

Because it didn’t get better.

  
  


***

It was Saturday,

A short blissful pause in a rather heavy week of deadlines and school works—of breakdowns and crammed papers.

(Though this is not to say there weren’t any work to over the weekends—

it’s just that Saturdays—although unspoken—are the accepte time to pretend that those stressful things didn’t exist for just a little while)

During these occasional pockets of comfort within their streams of hectic days;

Most of the students who lived in the dorms would usually go out and have fun with friends… dormers who lived only several hours away could also opt to go home to their families for the weekend…

But this time, Dongpyo belongs to the minority who stayed at school.

It was not by choice, of course—as he would very much prefer to go home to his family and old friends if he could.  
  


He usually goes out with his new friends and dorm seniors to shop and play during weekends…

But something about this bright and warm, lazy day made him reject the invitations from his schoolmates and just stay behind...

_Maybe it is the weather…_

It was indeed too hot today.

The sun was high up in the sky, a bright glaring orange—unleashing its temper to the earth.

Thankfully, a little wind still blows in an attempt to cool the baking ground. If one was to look out the window, a shifting mirage had formed outside.

  
It was over an hour before noon.

  
Dongpyo aimlessly wandered around the large dormitory building…

On one hand, he carries his lunchbox of beef sandwich and potato salad. While a small orange juice box was on the other.

  
He didn’t feel like eating in the very large—but almost deserted—mess hall of their school. Nor did it seem like a good idea to eat outside under the sweltering heat.

So he decided that a change of scenery is in order.

Up and down the staircases, through several connecting hallways, into corridors where the old, gothic style architecture clashed with the newer and modern design.

It went from smoothly cemented surfaces that were covered in clean coats of paint…then it turned into brightly-colored bricks, then into slate-gray stone walls as he wandered more and more…

Soon, Dongpyo passed by a room that caught his fancy that certain day.

The old Art Room.

He only remembered ever being there once… and it was when their regular, and much larger, Main Art Room in the High School Building was renovated for a week— and they had to change the location of their art classes elsewhere.

Dongpyo quite liked this room.  
  


If he remembered correctly, it was smaller—definitely smaller than the Main Art Room they used—but it seemed to have a light and airy atmosphere to it.

  
Maybe it was because of the large windows they had thrown open. The natural light is a hundred times better than the industrial lighting their usual room employed.

_This seems like a good place to be alone…_

Dongpyo thought, as he reached for the knob.

  
  


**_11:00_ **

  
As soon as he opened the door, he immediately knew something was amiss…

  
  



	2. 11:11 o' clock

The room, which should have been an airy atelier filled with canvasses of all sizes and rows of wooden easels, looked completely—

  
_Different._

The walls—which should have been lined with industrial shelves stacked with paints and art materials—are replaced with fancy wallpaper and mahogany glass cabinets displaying an odd mix of trophies and porcelain tea sets.  
  


And in the middle of the room—which should have been an open space to set up enough easels for a painting class—is surprisingly furnished by several mismatched stuffed sofas and couches—even a grand piano was sitting majestically under the soft natural light spilling from the wide glass windows.

Instead of the old Art Room, Dongpyo found himself looking at a cozy afternoon parlor.

_“Hello.”_ A male voice greeted him kindly.

  
From the inconspicuous corner to his left—where a small bookshelf could be found—a mysterious student was sitting down the brown chair reading a book.

  
This mysterious student seems to be a senior—judging from his tall stature, which was revealed as soon as he stood up.

  
Dongpyo couldn’t see his whole face clearly—as only a glimpse of his solemn brown eyes could be seen peeking behind the dark strands of his overgrown bangs.

  
But for some reason, the smaller boy could still tell—just by taking in this guy’s snowy skin, the well-built physique, the beautifully sculpted nose and his coral lips—that the mysterious guy before him must be _very_ handsome.

Under such strange circumstances, the logical reaction should have been apprehensive—but somehow…

The mysterious student’s smile seems to put him at ease.

It was gentle, warm and…

_Familiar_.

But Dongpyo was sure they'd never met before.

  
  
“May I help you?” The mysterious student spoke in his voice that was smooth like velvet.

  
“Uhm…”

  
Dongpyo was still gawking at him at that time, taking on the appearance similar to a surprised chick.

  
It took a few moments for him to finally snap out of his stupor.

“Ah…I’m sorry.” The flustered little one quickly apologized. “I think I got the wrong room…”

  
Embarrassed, he gave the tall mysterious student a swift little bow before closing the door.

_That was strange._

_Very, very Strange._

Dongpyo thought as he looked blankly at the old polished oak door. He was certain that it should definitely be the Art Room in there.

To confirm his doubts, he looked at the plaque on the top of the door.

  
The words **_‘Art Room III’_ ** was fancily embossed at its bronze surface.

  
That means it really **_is_ ** the correct room.

  
  


_But why did it look so different?_

  
  


_Was I hallucinating?_

  
His heart began to race in his chest as the recent encounter replayed, fresh, in his mind.

That room…

That boy…

  
  


Nervously, he reached for the door handle again.

**1…**

**2…**

  
  


**3…**

  
  


**_Creak…_ **

  
  
  


“Huh?” Dongpyo was underwhelmed when he was welcomed by the bare art room this time.

He stared at the unimpressive room blankly.

_Did I imagine it all?_

Dongpyo walked into the room wearily. He began to make some inspections around the room…

But nothing seems out of place.

He ended up sitting on the bench by the window.

“Ah~ I’m going crazy.” Dongpyo messed up his hair before slumping over the windowsill.

  
The scorching temperature from the outside could make anyone feel dizzy. The heated breeze makes the lethargic spell much worse as it blows against the trees—creating a lulling sonata of rustling leaves.  
  


_Maybe I was just hungry…_

_Maybe it’s the heat…_

_Maybe it was just a mirage of some sort…_

Dongpyo huffed, resting his cheek on his hands that he placed on top of the sill.

He feels a little sleepy.

**11:11**

  
“He’s waking up.” A voice said excitedly.

  
“That’s because you keep poking his face” An exasperated voice said.

  
As soon as Dongpyo opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was a boy’s face: He had quite an attractive appearance with thick dark eyebrows and a bunny-like smile that sat perfectly on his face—which would have left a better impression if it was not invading his personal space.

“Okay back off…” A familiar, magnetic voice sounded from above and Dongpyo realized too late that his head was actually laid on someone’s lap (It was sturdy but comfortable).

  
“Ah!” Dongpyo exclaimed, voice in the highest pitch.

_It was him!_

  
  


_The tall mysterious student with snowy skin and hidden eyes!_

  
  


Dongpyo immediately scrambled to sit properly.

  
Which soon led him to realize that he was on a large soft couch—he was placed in the middle.

“Sorry!” He apologised to the boy on the other end of the couch who he accidentally touched with his feet.

“It's okay.” The boy calmly said, face showing neither warmth nor annoyance—just an indifferent expression… which made Dongpyo think that he definitely must have offended him!

  
“Hello.” Another boy sitting on the floor playing scrabbles greeted him with a casual wave. He has striking platinum blonde hair with the most unreasonably long legs Dongpyo had ever seen.

Beside him was another kid who looked younger and smaller—with big lovable eyes and a head of brown curls reminiscent of a toy poodle. Said toy poodle waved at him with a bright smile.

  
On the couch across them, three other boys occupied it:

There is a charming kid with startling cherry-red hair,

A handsome bespectacled male with brown hair and delicate frame,

And a large, curled-up figure of a sleeping male student with jet black hair whose face still can’t be seen.

  
  
_Who are these people?_

  
“Glad you could join us kid.” A rather buff, and intimidating guy—whose dirty blonde hair with rebellious highlights—said in a kind and happy tone that sounded unusual with that deep voice he had.

“You’re just in time for cookies!” A taller kid with a shockingly babyish face said, clapping his hands—eyes shining at the thought of cookies.  
  


_Am l dreaming?_

  
  


“Here! Have some tea!” A cherry-haired youth happily said, standing up from the opposite couch to pour a delicate cup of tea for Dongpyo.

“Have a few of these as well.” The intimidating guy with dirty blonde hair said, offering another plate of flower-shaped cookies—uncharacteristically too dainty for someone who has a rather _‘tough’_ appearance. He looked like a serious husky as he passed the plates of cookies around.  
  


  
Dongpyo felt hesitant.

**_What is this feeling?_ **

The pretty brunet with the round, wire-rimmed glasses noticed his conflicting feelings. Without saying anything, said brunet stretched his delicate hands to the nearest platter—long slim fingers closing into a sunflower-shaped biscuit.

“It’s delicious.” The guy with the wire-rimmed glasses said—as if in encouragement.

Dongpyo was surprised… Really surprised.

Because he _trusts_ them.

  
  


**_I don’t know any of these boys, and yet…_ **

  
  


**_I feel strangely comfortable around them._ **

_(He reaches for the prettiest cookie: The butterfly-shaped one—perfectly brown with nuts and dried fruit.)_

  
  


**_It’s like…_ **

  
  
  


**_They are my dear old friends…_ **

_(The delicious butter and honey taste crumbled in his mouth, melting in a warm and nostalgic aftertaste.)_

  
  


Doesn't this dream seem a bit too real?

_(Ah! This tea is very delicious too!)_

The strange, broad-shouldered guy who was curled up on the opposite couch—beside the brown-haired male with glasses— stirred in his sleep for the first time.

  
The tall male yawned and stretched—his long arms almost knocking off the cup of tea held by the smaller youth beside him.

  
The small brunet shot the offender a displeased look, while the formerly sleeping guy seemed to freeze as soon as his fox-like eyes landed on the bespectacled boy’s face.  
  


“Can I help you?” The brunet snapped, raising his eyebrow sternly at the taller boy who was gaping at him.

  
“Uhm... is this Heaven?” The strange guy with the fox-like eyes asked, shaking himself off his stupor.

  
“No.” The small brunet replied, unimpressed. “This is the _Xima building_ .”  
  


“ _We_ call it the _Swing Building_.” The almost expressionless one with the handsomely sculpted face corrected, ghost of a smile that seems to flit over his features as he spoke.

(Donpyo figured he must not be very indifferent after all— he’s more likely just a shy boy)

“This is the _Quantum Building_ in our time.” The tall boy with a baby face replied—round-cheeked and stuffed with cookies.

“Wait a minute…”  
  


Dongpyo’s brows are knitted together.

_  
__Xima Building? Quantum building? Swing building?_

  
None of the buildings in the Academy bore such names.

“How about you?” The guy who had woken him up earlier—the one who looked like a handsome bunny— asked. “What do you call this building?”

  
“Just…” Dongpyo cleared his throat. “Just… _Building One_.”

  
“Then that’s the name…” The boy with the bunny smile said.

“Building One, It is then!” the bunny guy happily declared.

  
  


Dongpyo still didn’t understand; confusion evident in his tiny face.

  
The previously mentioned guy beside him didn’t say anything further and just giggled—a unique and endearing sound that would be hard to forget.

  
  


“Yeah, I don’t think that the location of this place changes…It just doesn’t always _exist_ at the same point in time, apparently.” The cold-looking bespectacled senior spoke. “I would advise you not to agonize over it further.”

Dongpyo decided to take in what he’s been told.

  
  


_So… I’ve travelled through time?_

  
  


“Don’t worry, you are not the only one.” Husky-ssi (Dongpyo decided to call him that) assured him casually.

  
The the purple glass wind chimes tinkled sweetly once a gust of refreshing summer breeze slips past the open window.

They were carefree as they continue to speak about this bizarre meeting itself over tea and biscuits.

_It was most extraordinary._

  
  


“I imagine that this old building must have hidden doors scattered here and there—like an advent calendar…” The mysterious senior with the hidden eyes said. “Occasionally, one of us will go through one of the doors and get lost, just like we are now.”

“We’re regular members of this society, but it’s not as if the doors to this place are always open.” The buff, intimidating blond said in agreement, although the mood seemed a bit more solemn now.  
  


“Does that mean… I can’t just see you anytime I want?” the strange guy with the fox-like eyes looked at the brunet with wire-rimmed glasses—whose name he still does not know—as if he was truly devastated at what was said.

“Fortunately for me, yes.” The brunet scoffed.  
  


Their strange little congregation fell into a light round of laughter at the remark.

  
“I’m sure all of the current members in today’s meeting… _Have their own completely different time periods to return to._ ”

The bespectacled brunet continued, a slight tinge of loneliness could be detected in his words that reminded them that what they are, at this moment—is indeed not permanent.

  
  


  
_Strangers and brothers—they delicately bask in the white space in-between._

_  
__Soulmates?_ _  
  
_

Once again they lapsed into a peaceful silence.

Another gust of cool breeze elicited another enticing song from the wind chimes that hung at the windows.  
  


**_“But still, isn’t this wonderful?”_ ** The peculiar fellow with the fox-like features grinned.

  
The spirited guy’s lively voice successfully caught everyone’s attention…

  
His sly, fox-like appearance mellowing down into a more lovable shiba inu as he trailed his over every single one of the youths’ faces in the room…

**_“Once we are all back in our own time periods. We might not cross paths with each other there…”_ ** **_  
  
_**

_Slowly, one by one, he met everyone’s attentive gazes with a smile…_ _  
  
_

_Like they are all something precious that he tries to burn into his memories…_   
  


**“But right here…”**

  
  


  
**_“Right now…_ **

  
  


**_...we are eleven people; all sharing this time together…As 16 –or 17- year old boys.”_ **

He gestured around the room with a flourish.

**_“…I don't know about you guys... but I will forever keep this as a most cherished memory.”_ **

He finished his words with a dazzling smile.  
  


The calm, bespectacled brunet beside him stared at the spirited shiba inu-ssi for a while.

  
“For a first-timer…” The pretty boy finally spoke after a few moments, adjusting the glasses that rested on his little nose.

“…You’re quite different.”

The spirited guy beamed. "I don't think I am a first timer... since I get this feeling that we _have_ met before..."

The brunet with the wire-rimmed glasses just sighed, smiling sightly.

"In this world, anything is possible."

  
  
Dongpyo looked around once again. He felt the same too. He could not explain it— he just understood.  
  


_This moment right now…_

_The dream we are having of this “shared time” is fickle in its appearance._

  
  


_This dormitory… It’s the reason for all of this, isn’t it?_

_Even if something is man-made, if it exists for a long time… It’ll eventually develop a soul. I’m sure of it._

_  
  
_

_It reflects the wave of feelings of the ones who have lived there over the many years—it flows and overwhelms._

  
  


_Somehow, this building has managed to get them together._

“You were lonely too, weren’t you?” The boy with the cherry hair appeared beside Dongpyo with a soft, soothing voice.  
  


“W-What do you mean?”

“You see, this place draws all the feelings of loneliness and sadness out of you...” The boy with the bright cherry hair continued.

  
“It’s like a gentle hum only lonely ones can hear…” the cute kid with the memorable choco poodle-like hair said in hushed whispered, big-eyed and innocent.

  
“It’s like a pat in the head.” The platinum—almost white—haired boy contributed, brows knitting slightly as he thought of how to convey it properly. “It gives me hope… hope for our hearts to recover… so we won’t have to feel alone again.”

  
“Yes! It’s like…It’s like…” the cute poodle-like boy tried to find the right word.

  
  


“Healing.”

The shy, neutral face youngster supplied from the sidelines. They were surprised that he was actually listening as well.  
  


Dongpyo looked at each of them, who had suddenly bounded around him with their cute youthful smiles.  
  


_He is happy for them… happy that they have hope._

  
“I want to do it too.” Dongpyo simply said, beginning to smile a little. “Healing.”

The gentle sound of the piano suddenly filled the room.

  
Beautiful clear melody that puts one at ease.

“That kid is amazing.” Dongpyo said as he looked at the really tall kid with the plump-cheeks and babyish face who is now playing the piano.

They all looked fondly at the kid who looked the most happy as he created music.

_Happiness looked good on them._

Dongpyo felt his eyelids grow heavy.

The soft, hazy yellow afternoon emitted a gentle warmth, the familiar presence of his companions—although temporary— soaks him with a kind of comfort that seeps into his soul.

He wants to begin his path of healing.

_Ringing~ Ringing~_

Dongpyo’s eyes open in a lazy flutter at the sound of his phone ringtone. The red-orange color of dusk greeted him.  
  


 **5:39** **  
  
**

He found himself sitting by the bench, head resting on the smooth windowsill.

The air has already cooled but his cheeks are warm and red because of sleeping by the sunny window.

He had this weird tingling feeling; a buzz—like he had dreamed of something good. Unfortunately, it all seemed blurred and distant—but Dongpyo was certain it was a good dream.

_He had been happy._

He turned to discover that his lunch was untouched—but he was not hungry at all.

_So strange…so strange…_

The faint taste of chamomile and butter cookies lingers in his mouth like an important memory.

He looked at his hands and noticed a few specks of cookie crumbs staining his fingers.

A small smile unconsciously lifted the corner of his lips.

He fished the phone from his pocket. There we’re a lot of unread texts.

He sighed, shaking his head a little.  
  
  


**_For some reason, the loneliness becomes bearable._ **

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope each of us can can achieve our own healing.
> 
> -reen


End file.
